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NFL great Patrick Peterson was not a fan of politics in sports during his illustrious 13-year career.
Peterson, 35, played from 2011 to 2023 and said he felt the political discourse that took place in the locker room was not only unnecessary but also misinformed.
“I don’t let politics creep into how I try to prepare my team to beat the Cincinnati Bengals or the Pittsburgh Steelers or whoever. I just felt like it was unnecessary,” Peterson told PK Press Club Digital in a recent interview.
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Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson laughs after a flag was thrown at him during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Rob Schumacher/The Republic/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“And again, in my opinion, this is not a place for guys who play football or sports in general. Eighty percent (of NFL players) have no idea what’s going on in politics. For me, I always lead my own way and stay in my own game.”
The eight-time Pro Bowler said political discussions with his teammates became more frequent as his career progressed. Peterson even said politics eventually became part of team meetings.
“(Politics) crept into a lot of team meetings,” Peterson said. “Which felt, in my opinion, was unnecessary. Yes, we have a voice. Yes, we have an obligation. But if you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing on the ground, which is your livelihood and what keeps the lights on in your house, that’s kind of like outside noise to me, especially in the line of work that we’re in.”
“As if it has nothing to do with us. Yes, we can do it in our free time. We are currently focused on winning games.”
The Arizona Cardinals selected Peterson 5th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft out of LSU, and he spent the first 10 seasons of his career in the desert. The three-time All-Pro then spent two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before finishing his career with a season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson defends against the Buffalo Bills in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY on November 13, 2022. (Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports)
He recalled a game in 2017 where the Cardinals played the Dallas Cowboys and they all locked arms before the game in response to President Donald Trump calling on owners to fire players who kneeled for the national anthem. Peterson said conversations about politics started to become more prominent in 2016.
Peterson was named to the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2010s. In 201 career games, Peterson recorded 36 interceptions, 122 pass deflections, 652 total tackles and four sacks.
The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native will compete in the American Century Championship July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.
Peterson said the event has evolved tremendously over the years and is something his whole family enjoys.
“My daughters look forward to going to Lake Tahoe every year, not only to walk with Dad, but also to get out on the lake,” Peterson said. “Going to the top of the mountain and zip lining and things like that. So the memories they’re able to create for the families involved are endless.”
Peterson is using AI to improve his golf game and prepare for the American Century Championship.
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Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals runs onto the field during a game at State Farm Stadium on December 9, 2018. (Rob Schumacher/The Republic/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“I use this app called Performance Golf. It’s basically an app that you can download to your phone, and you can basically have an AI coach,” Peterson said.
“You can film yourself, you can use any club, any swing, putter, wedge, chip, pitch, driver, irons, whatever you need that you need help with or want to see better results with, you can film yourself, submit the video, and then what will happen is the AI trainer will tell you what your flaw is that you need to work on to get better results. And I’ve been using it for four months and it has tremendously helped my game.”
The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
